Intestinal histomorphometry of laying hens fed diets containing rice based dry distiller's grains with solubles

The present study was conducted to evaluate the feeding value of rice based dry distiller's grains with solubles (DDGS) with or without enzyme supplementation on gut health and intestinal histomorphometry in layers. A biological experiment was undertaken in a 4x2 factorial completely randomized design (CRD) with 45wk old CARI Sonali layers (n=120) which was assigned to eight treatments (i.e. 2 enzyme level x4 levels of DDGS) in such a way that each treatment has 15 replicates with one layer in each replicate for ten weeks (45–54^th week of age). Eight experimental diets were prepared by incorporating rice DDGS at 0, 5, 7.5 and 10% levels (Diets-D1, D2, D3, D4); enzyme supplemented rice DDGS at 0, 5, 7.5 and 10% level (D5, D6, D7, D8). All diets had been kept isocaloric and isonitrogenous in nature while CP was maintained 16% and ME 2400 Kcal/kg of feed in layer diet (BIS, 2007). Each of the eight diets was offered ad lib as mash to the corresponding layers from 45^th to 54^th weeks of ages. At the end of experiment four birds per treatment were used for villus height, width and crypt depth measurement under high resolution microscope with micrometry. Inclusion of 7.5 and 10% level of DDGS was found significantly lower the TVC in crop while this lowering effect in jejunum was found at all three levels of DDGS. However, lactobacillus have significantly with maximum effect at 10% level of DDGS in jejunum but have no significant effect was observed on crop region Higher lactobacillus count was observed in jejunum in presence of enzyme. Induodenum, crypt depth significantly (P<0.01) decreased and villus height/crypt depth ratio were significantly (P<0.05) increased at 10% inclusion level of DDGS. Villus height significantly(P<0.01) increased in all levels of rice DDGS with maximum (967.11μm) effect in 10% inclusion level however, crypt depth and villus height/crypt depth ratio were significantly (P<0.01) decreased at 7.5 and 10% inclusion level as compare to 0 and 5% inclusion level of rice DDGS. Inclusion of different levels of rice DDGS have significant (P<0.01) effect on villus height, width, crypt depth and villus height/crypt depth ratio. Enzyme supplementation was beneficial for increasing villus height, width, villus height/crypt depth ratio and decreasing crypt depth of duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Rice based DDGS with and without enzyme has beneficial effect on gut health in terms of bacterial population and intestinal morphology.